April 08, 2014

Guinea: Ebola outbreak, three weeks in, is dire but not hopeless

Guinea's health minister, Remy Lamah, has implored Guineans to remain calm and to ignore rumors that foreign health workers brought Ebola to Guinea. Misinformation is a mighty problem, he says. The virus can be transmitted to humans from wild animals, including fruit bats and monkeys – both of which are culinary delicacies in some parts of Guinea.

Direct human contact with another person's sweat, blood, feces and other bodily fluids, as well as the unprotected handling of infected corpses, can also lead to infection.

Local media are giving blanket coverage to the outbreak. A radio debate included medical personnel, ministers, and ordinary people – as well as one survivor.

"Not everyone dies of Ebola," says Aissata Diallo, a 20-year-old hygienist who has been assisting at a hospital where the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders treats patients. "Yes, of course it's contagious. But there are cases where people get well and go home. That's wonderful. And that makes us happy that people are leaving here alive."

WHO, meanwhile, expects to remain in Guinea for some time.

"Our expectation is that we'll continue to see cases for some number of months," says assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda. "Because we are dealing with Ebola what we typically do is look and make sure that we go through a couple of incubation periods to see if the outbreak is really over."

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Guinea's health minister, Remy Lamah, has implored Guineans to remain calm and to ignore rumors that foreign health workers brought Ebola to Guinea. Misinformation is a mighty problem, he says. The virus can be transmitted to humans from wild animals, including fruit bats and monkeys – both of which are culinary delicacies in some parts of Guinea.

Direct human contact with another person's sweat, blood, feces and other bodily fluids, as well as the unprotected handling of infected corpses, can also lead to infection.

Local media are giving blanket coverage to the outbreak. A radio debate included medical personnel, ministers, and ordinary people – as well as one survivor.

"Not everyone dies of Ebola," says Aissata Diallo, a 20-year-old hygienist who has been assisting at a hospital where the international medical charity Doctors Without Borders treats patients. "Yes, of course it's contagious. But there are cases where people get well and go home. That's wonderful. And that makes us happy that people are leaving here alive."

WHO, meanwhile, expects to remain in Guinea for some time.

"Our expectation is that we'll continue to see cases for some number of months," says assistant director-general Keiji Fukuda. "Because we are dealing with Ebola what we typically do is look and make sure that we go through a couple of incubation periods to see if the outbreak is really over."